State health officials urge residents in high-risk areas to protect against mosquito bites

Friday

Jul 13, 2012 at 12:01 AMJul 13, 2012 at 1:00 PM

Officials at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health are encouraging residents in the towns of Easton, Raynham and Taunton to take specific steps to protect themselves and their families from mosquito bites and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) this summer.

Officials at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health are encouraging residents in the towns of Easton, Raynham and Taunton to take specific steps to protect themselves and their families from mosquito bites and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) this summer.

The move follows the recent detection of the first EEE-positive mosquitoes of the season in the area, and the subsequent raising of the threat level for mosquito-borne illness from “moderate” to “high” in those three towns.

The types of mosquitoes most likely to transmit EEE infection are likely to be out searching for food (an animal to bite) at dusk, the time period between when the sun sets and it gets completely dark.

There have been no human cases of West Nile virus (WNV) or EEE so far this year.

Personal protective measures are key to preventing mosquito bites and the illnesses they can cause. They include:

• Applying insect repellent when outdoors. Use a repellent with DEET, permethrin, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535 according to the instructions on the product label.

• Be aware of peak mosquito hours. The hours from dusk to dawn are peak biting times for many mosquitoes.

• Clothing can help reduce mosquito bites. Wearing long-sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors will help keep mosquitoes away from your skin.

• Drain standing water. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by either draining or discarding items that hold water. Check rain gutters and drains. Empty any unused flowerpots and wading pools, and change water in birdbaths frequently.

• Install or repair screens. Keep mosquitoes outside by having tightly-fitting screens on all of your windows and doors.

• Protect your animals. Animal owners should reduce potential mosquito breeding sites on their property by eliminating standing water from containers such as buckets, tires, and wading pools — especially after heavy rains. Water troughs provide excellent mosquito breeding habitats and should be flushed out at least once a week during the summer months to reduce mosquitoes near paddock areas. If an animal is diagnosed with WNV or EEE, owners are required to report to DAR, Division of Animal Health by calling 617-626-1795 and to the Department of Public Health (DPH) by calling 617-983-6800.

More information, including all WNV and EEE positive results from 2012, can be found on the Arbovirus Surveillance Information web page at www.mass.gov/dph/wnv or by calling the DPH Epidemiology Program at 617-983-6800.